Windshield or deflector



April 27,1926. 1,582,240

F. R. BENNETT WINDSHIELD OR DEFLECTOR Filed May l5, 1925 designates the forward part of an automobile body provided with the front posts 2 and 3 which support the usual front wind shield 1. These posts also furnish suitable supports for the side shields or deflectors 5 and 6.

Since the right and left side shields are of substantially the same construction the left hand shield only is hereinafter described in detail.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and Ll, the shield or deflector panel indicated at 5 consists of a piece of suitable sheet material preferably of elongate rhomboidal form having the front and rear vertical edges 6 and 7 respectively and the inclined'top and bottom edges 9 and 10.

Thile this particular shape is preferred the Ainvention is not in any manner restricted to the employment of a deflector panel of this particular shape as any suitable contour may be chosen. This delector panel is preferably made of transparent sheet Celluloid or transparent sheet bakelite and l. have found by experiment that ordinary celluloid of a thickness of approximately l/S of an inch possesses suiiicient stiffness and rigidity to withstand thel wind pressure and the vibration to which it is subjected. Obviously a greater, or possibly a lesser thickness may be employed if circumstances should warrant.

W'liile I rprefer 'to employ a material which is completely transparent and colorless may under certain circumstances substitute material which is translucent but not completely transparent, or I may employ transparent material of any suitable color.

yThe vertically elongate panel thus provided is supported by means of vertically spaced brackets, a single pair of such brackets being sullicient for the purpose. Each bracket comprises a jaw portion 11 (Fi preferably provided with a concave inner surface 12 adapted to engage the supporting post 2. The rear edge of this jaw portion is integrally united to an elongate attaching` arm 123 which preferably tapers from its union with the jaw toward its free or rear extremity. The bracket also comn prises a` second relatively movable jaw 14 complemental to the jaw 11 and also preferably having a concave inner surface 15 for engagement with the post 2. This jaw is integrally united at its rear edge to an attaching member 16 which is substantially shorter than the member 13 and which also preferablytapers toward its free end. Preferably this attaching member 16 terminates in a gripping flange 17 directed inwardly towards the opposed attaching member 18.

lVhile I have shown the jaws 11 and 14 as having concave inner surfaces these aws may be formed with opposed faces of any desired contour, padded if desired, for properly gripping between them the supporting post upon which the bracket is mounted.

The member 18 is provided with a hole at its outer or smaller end and also with a hole near its union with the jaw 11. The member 16 is likewise provided with a hole which, in operative position, is aligned with the last named hole in the member 18.

The panel 5a is provided With vertically spaced pairs of openings corresponding to the holes in the respective brackets and the forward edge portion of the panel is inserted between the att-aching members 13 and 16 of eac-h bracket. A bolt 19 passes through the hole in the smaller end of the member 13 and through one of the holes in the panel and is clamped to the panel bv means of a nut 2O which engages the screw threaded end of the bolt and presses directly against; the rear face of the panel; Since the material of the panel is resilient, the nut may be so tightened as to embed itself to some extent in the substance of the panel thusholding it securely and making it unnecessary to employ a lock nut or similar retaining device.

A bolt 21 extends through the other opening in the member 13 and through the panel and through the hole in the member 16 and the parts are clamped together by means of a nut 22 engaging the threaded end of this bolt. The` bolt 21 and nut 22 have atwofold purpose in that they serve to clamp the jaws 11 and 14 about the post 2 and at the same time cause the gripping member 17 to bear forcibly against the rear face of the panel 5a thus clamping the latter against the member 13.

If sutHcient clamping pressure be employed7 the member 17 cmbeds itself slightly in theI substance of the panel and thus eiicct ually prevents all lateral movement of thc latter relative to the attaching members.

The two parts making up the bracket are preferably formed by stamping them from sheet material such for example as sheet steel of suitable thickness. rlhese bracket elements may thus be formed in a single operation and at very low cost as compared with the brackets which are ,ordinarily pro vided for securing glass side shields in position. Since the improif'ed shield here described is very light as compared with glass these brackets may be made relatively small so that they do not obscure any substantial part of the Held of vision.

As the material of which the panel is made is flexible and not easily broken or cracked. it may be made much thinner than a glass panel and may be clamped directly and forcibly against the parts of the bracket without the necessity of interposing soft or resilient pads between it and the clamping elements. These panels may be cut from sheet material by a 'stamping operation at il (l extremely lo7 cost as compare-d with the preparation of glass panels and it' subjected to the shock of collision and broken there by do not form sharp and jagged edges likely to injure the occupants of the vehicle.

Since thevmaterial employed is non-resa nant it does not rattle loudly even though it should become loosened in its supporting bracket, while the reduction in weight is such that the brackets maybe attached to the side posts with much less danger et' injuring the linish upon. the latter or of becoming displaced by vibration.

I claim: y

l. A wind detlector or side shield for vehicles comprising a vertically elongate panel of transparent non-vitreous stiiily flexible sheet material, said panel having two longitudinally spaced pairs of openings therethrough, one opening of each pair being near the forward edge ot' said panel, a pair of brackets, 'each bracket comprising rela' tively movable clamping jaws -for attachment toa part ot' a vehicle, and each bracket having a pair ol openings correspondingto the openings in the panel, and bolts passing through the openings in the brackets and the transparent panel and lirmly clamping 'the brackets directly against the surface of the panel.

2. A wind delector or side Shield for vehicles comprisinga two part supporting bracket consisting of an elongate sheet metal member relatively Wide at one end and tapering in width toward its other end, the wider end portion being deflected out of the plane of the remainder thereof and being concavely curved to constitute a clamping jaw, a second sheet metal member also having a Wide, concavely curved jaw portion opposed to the jaw portion ofthe lrst member, and a short tapered portion, ya deilecting element consisting of a panell of flexible transparent sheet material disposed between the tapered portions of the bracket members, a bolt securing the dellecting element directly to the small end of the lirst named bracket member, and a clamping bolt passing through the dellecting element and both bracket members near the jaw portions et the latter. t t

' 3. A wind deilector or side shield for vehicles comprising a pair of supporting brackets each consisting of a clamping jaw and an elongateh attaching member eXtend-- ing from one edge of the jaw, a relatively movable clamping jaw opposed to the iirst jaw and having a relatively short attaching member projecting `from one of itsL edges, the latter member having a gripping flange directed toward the opposed face of the first attaching member, a piece ot flexible transparent sheet material having its forward edge portion interposed between the 

